Everything should be in place and ready to go 60 minutes before the start of the training. This allows the responsibile parties to make sure that preparations are complete, such as overhead table, screen, seats, podium, microphones, banners, music, beverage table, registers, etc.
In the back of the room, have a tape unit running continually. Always play upbeat music. There should always be music in the background except when the meeting is taking place. Music “on” always before and after. Don’t ever allow “dead” hearing time. You might even run microphones through this system if possible.
This 3 foot circular table should be wide enough to hold the laptop in addition to other room for a notebook, pens, and a water glass. This table needs to be draped. An electrical cord should be run up to the table. Use duct tape to secure the cord. An additional extension cord with at least two outlets will also be needed.
Adds a nice touch to have a United States flag along with your state flag. If used, position at the front of the room, off to either side.
A great way to decorate the room and add to the environment. Ask the catering department to bring some in or there are usually fake plants in the hallways that you may pick up and bring into the room.
Before the meeting room fills with people, locate the controls for lights, heating, cooling and background music. You may be called upon to adjust these while a program is in progress. Familiarizing ones self with these controls is the mark of an experienced meeting professional as it is not uncommon to be unable to locate hotel staff when they are most needed. Make sure the entire room is well lit, but especially the stage area. If spotlights are available, consider asking the facility’s staff to adjust and light them. If the room is normally lit by mercury vapor lights (now used more and more frequently especially in the larger convention venues) it should be noted they take extraordinarily long to return to their full brightness once turned off. When 35mm slide or LED projectors are to be used during a program requiring that house lights be turned off, make certain someone is scheduled to turn them back on as quickly as possible after the session.
If doors at the back of the room open and close with the typical, loud click-click, ask the hotel staff for a roll of duct tape (the kind used to tape down loose electric cords) and tape the tongues tightly so as people come and go during a presentation the doors will open and close quietly and not be a distraction.
A lengthy cocktail party is never a good beginning for your attendees or for any speaker, nor is it a good idea to schedule a principle speaker on the morning after everyone has been up very late the night before. For most groups (all groups are different) cocktail parties with minimal food which precede the speaker should be limited to one hour. If food is served, they can be slightly longer.
If your program calls for a business meeting, the presentation of awards or even extended announcements, consider putting your speaker on first, or sandwiching the business and awards program around the speaker. Nothing makes an evening seem longer than when the speaker is introduced right after a long business meeting. If the speaker must follow a long program, give the audience a brief stretch break before introducing the speaker.
Sometimes, the association president or meeting emcee will come to the microphone to make a few announcements just as the banquet is starting. It is uncomfortable for that person if he or she must struggle to get people’s attention-and so much more professional when the food service staff immediately stops what they are doing the moment someone steps to the mike. A sharp meeting planner will prepare the wait staff in advance by asking them to stop serving and stand in their places quietly the minute anyone steps to the microphone. Once the speaker has the audience’s attention and begins making his or her announcements, the wait staff can resume their service quietly. Of course, the same routine should be followed at the end of the banquet when the meeting emcee begins the main program. Wait staff should immediately stop clearing dishes and return to the kitchen, waiting until AFTER the program is over to resume cleanup.
